Looks like NBC is working to get 1 vs. 100 on the air soon. The casting notice on craigslist has an attention-grabbing headline.

The phone # listed has a message stating to leave your name and phone # for them to call back. They indicate that they will take calls from any part of the country, but potential contestants must travel to LA at their own expense in order to audition.


Tim H.

I emailed and received a call from a production assistant. They don't just need you to fly to LA once to audition-- if you pass the test and preliminaries, you'd need to fly in again to meet with the casting director for an interview. I was willing to fly in once-- I could turn it into a long weekend and see some friends-- but twice was a bit much. I declined.

I asked a bit about the format. One player and 100 audience members-- all of whom are cast, so it's not just a pool of random people-- answer the same trivia question. Anyone who gets it wrong is eliminated. As players are eliminated the jackpot increases. The hotseat player can walk away and take the money (I don't know if that decision must come before the next question is heard), in which case the surviving audience members get nothing. If the hotseat player answers incorrectly, the game ends and the surviving audience members split the jackpot (and the hotseat player gets nothing).

"This posting has been removed"

There is a new one.


Tim H.

I recently confirmed an invitation to a casting call for Monday, 6/19 in Culver City. 30-question exam, plus interviews. I'll fill in more details on my return.

--Charlie, MPW

I attended a casting call. It starts with a long application. Weird, embarrassing, crazy things, self-portrait, poetry, what you'd do with $3 million, have you been convicted, things like that. Then, a 30-question quiz, 3 choices for each question, some pop culture. It was about 10 minutes. While the quizzes were graded, the 70+ of us each gave a 15-second bio (what do you do, what you'd do with the money, etc.)

Then, some game play. Two of the production people played as contestants. We were "the mob", each of us with three cards in front of us (numbered 1, 2, or 3). Mob members needed to answer correctly to stay in the mob. A right answer from the player meant the player stayed in the game. The pot would go up for every 10 mob members eliminated. Once the player missed, the pot would be evenly distributed to the mob members remaining.

They had a scale on a whiteboard like this:

Audience Remaining: Amount
90: $1,000
80: $5,000
70: $10,000
60: $25,000
50: $50,000
40: $100,000
30: $200,000
20: $300,000
10: $500,000
0: $3,000,000

The player had three uses of the "panic button" available in lieu of answering the question. The first use dropped the top prize to $2,000,000. The second use cut all money amounts in half, and the third use cut them in half again. (Edit: Also, if the player used the panic button, any mob members who got that question wrong would not be eliminated.)

No word about whether a mob member would be picked as the next player, but as long as you kept answering questions correctly, you could continue playing.

Two games were played, one with easy questions, another with harder ones. I managed to stay in the mob both times, which would have netted me over $33,000 if it were for real.

We were encouraged to yell at and otherwise taunt the player. To me, the game felt like a cross between DOND and a Jerry Springer show, something where an amateur host may have difficulty managing the audience.

As far as actually making it on, I don't know (don't call us, we'll call you).

Wow. That pretty much is the very picture of what I would NOT like to see in a new game show.

That said, I'm sure it will be a smash hit.

I have to be honest, I'm very disappointed. The money system is incredibly dumb. I would have been impressed had they have gone with the formula system, but the American public, in general, is too dumb to grasp it. The jump from $500K to $3M is so awkward. Some sort of filler would have been nicer, like eliminating 95 gets you a million or 1.5 million. A 2.5M jump is just unreal. The escape system is bad too. There could be 99 people gone. You haven't used an escape and you just don't know. You use it and the player gets it wrong, you win $2,000,000 for not knowing an answer. I don't like that at all. It also penalizes the mob for no reason whatsoever. To me, this now seems like a giant Millionaire clone. Here's the basic description of our 1 vs 100

A player sits in the hot seat and answers multiple choice trivia questions. The more right, the higher chance you get up on a money chain. If you aren't sure, you have 3 escapes to assist you.

Here's Millionaire.

A player sits in the hot seat and answers multiple choice trivia questions. The more right, the higher up the money chain you get. If you aren't sure, you have 3 lifelines to assist you.

The Dutch version doesn't seem like a clone at all to me. The trash talking thing will be "interesting". For better or worse, I don't know. I have a tiny feeling that by watching the Dutch version and really enjoying it, I'm going to be let down by this, but I really hope not. I thought I was going to be let down by DoND also, but I really wasn't, so I'm still very excited an interested to see this.

I don't think so - if you use an escape, the audience escapes elimination on that question too.

The game format still appears to be undergoing revision. At the 6/20 audition I attended, here were the threshholds used in the mock game:

Mob members left ================== Money won
100-76 =========================== $0
75-51 ============================ $10K
31-50 ============================ $50K
21-30 ============================ $100K
11-20 ============================ $250K
1-10 ============================= $500K
0 =============================== $3M

The Panic Button use would lead to one of three possible new situations for the One:
- Dummy Question: The Q is changed to a ridiculously easy one
- Specialty Question: The Q is changed to one in the the Player's chosen specialty
- 2 Guesses: Player gets two shots at answering the three-option multiple choice Q (ala Double Dip)

Each new situation from the Panic Button can occur only once, but it was not fully explained how it is determined which one happens, so it might be random, pre-ordained, or Player's (or conceivably Mob's) choice. The penalty to the prize $ for Panic Button use was not reviewed at today's audition.

Likely there will be many tweaks before this hits the air.


Tim H.

I went to an audition July 20, and it seemed like a very nice game to me. Everyone there seemed to be having fun, and it is actually much better when played than it sounds. In the first mock game we played, the jackpot quickly went up to $400,000 - the contestant lost, and 15 members of the mob would have won $26,000 each!

I live close to Culver City (Venice), and so I didn't have to go far. However, I found out about it a bit late and had not printed out my application ahead of time, and so I had to finish it rather hurriedly and forgot to sign it. I wonder if that will disqualify me. I would like to go on the show just because it was fun, and I did really like the host, although I can't remember his name. This is definitely a show I would watch.

NBC has come up with an application for this one. It's only 8 pages this time! (I'm not counting the cover page, since there's nothing to fill out on it.)

I wish I had had that application before I went for my audition, since I had to fill it out hurriedly at the site. However, they called me today and asked me to show up for the taping on August 12, but I'm only going to be part of the mob. They said that if I do not get eliminated, I would have to return on Sunday for another taping. I really enjoyed the audition, and I think I will enjoy the taping even more. I neglected to sign my application, but they said I could do that later.

I meant to post this earlier, but you've motivated me. Like you said, it is suppose to tape in August which is it. Right now, the rumor from NBC sources is that it'll air in September, but I'm not exactly believing that. Seems too soon, since the new season of everything will be starting right around them, but I could be completely wrong.

Have they got a host yet? DeCarlo, Jane Lynch or someone else?

For some reason, NBC is being really secretive about this. I've talked to NBC press agents, and they cannot say a thing. I'm constantly trying, though. They did this for DoND too, I think. If it's DeCarlo, I can ask Mark Walberg, since I think DeCarlo and Walberg have a production company together.

At the audition I went to, they introduced us to the guy who is supposed to be the host. I don't remember his name, but he has blond curly hair and appears to be in his early 30s or so. He has a very good personality, and he was the host for the first trial game that we played. I suppose we will find out on Saturday for sure who the host will be, since it will be a for real taping. I don't know whether they will want us to keep that info secret or not, but they didn't mention anything about secrecy when they introduced the host before. AFAIK, he's a relatively unknown, but I think he did a very good job. Then again, they might have someone different on Saturday.

I'm joining the mob! Sunday 8/13, 12:15 taping.

--Charlie, prospective member of the 100 Club

A host has been named for 1 vs. 100. Personally, I could see him being a decent fit....... but you be the judge.

Tyshaun

So could I -- as long as he does a halftime show during the game to throw in Aristocrat jokes.

That ruls. I'm so there, just to see the illest mother****er in a cardigan sweater host a game show. :)

Not a bad choice. Someone with stand-up comedian experience, stage presence, prime time creds. I liked him on AFV. I'll see how it goes.

--Charlie

(P.S. Chris: thanks for the link to that video...funny stuff.)

I'm waiting for folks to cry foul that he has no business hosting a game show, because of his "Full House" and "AFHV" tenures...even though he did vulgar stand-up way before either show.

I dunno. Howie Mandel did St. Elsewhere. John O'Hurley did Seinfeld. Anyone who is gonna criticize him for AFHV should note who the current host is. Louie Anderson did....oh, wait.

I don't think it's going to succeed for other reasons, but I'm sure willing to see if Saget can make it entertaining.

/can I get a video of this? I'd like to send it to the cast of Full House.

I have to admit I was a little upset when "Full House" replaced TTTT on NBC, but all is forgiven. I think he'll do a good job.

I was more surprised, considering "Full House" was an ABC show. TTTT had long stopped airing in my area on the two NBC stations I had, and neither one of them decided to carry the "Full House" reruns, so no big loss.

If Bob Saget is as annoying on this show as he was on AFHV, I'll be changing the channel real quick.

I have high hopes to that end, since he's spent an awful lot of his post-AFHV career trying to shed the goody-goody image (see the video I linked) that ABC foisted upon him. When would you see Danny Tanner comparing his genitalia to that of a pack animal? :)

Few things from the road (business in L.A.) :

1. I got the call for the 'mob' contestant pool too...won't be going, since they won't be paying airfare...if the show does well, after i watch it, i may reconsider....

2. Bob Saget? hmmmm....like lemon, I think he's hysterically funny when he's not playing 'who's your daddy' with the olsen twins..... but is this show going to give him leeway to work without a script? this show (and i'm basing this only on the dutch vers, and the runthroughs) isn't like Deal, and is way more serious.... i dunno...

3. Here's my bigger problem with Saget. It's becoming apparent that the production companies only want actors for hosts, and no one else....Mandel started an ugly trend...O Hurley, Ricki Lake, Saget....who's next for Joker/CLock? and when barker hangs it up, will we be treated to brad garrett playing plinko?

Look on the bright side. He's not the worst TV host to ever come from the set of Full House. [bad Bullwinkle]HEY ROCKY!!![/bB]

He's actually a pretty funny stand-up comedian ... it was the writers on AFHV that made him look so bad ...

The name escapes me at the moment, but Coulier was already a TV host before FH. It was a Nick show.

That show would be "Out of Control". :)

Out of Control?

Geez, I loved that show.

For me, it depends on how good a host each individual is. Howie Mandel and John O'Hurley have already proven themselves worthy of presiding over a game show. Ricki Lake has most decidedly not. For me, the jury is still out on Saget. Therefore I don't see this as being a good or bad thing one way or the other.

Buzzerblog has posted the rules they they ended up using....and I think they may have turned it around just in time....

What's not really clear, unless I'm missing something really obvious, is if the money ladder increases retroactively for players already knocked out. To wit:

One answers Question 1, takes out five Mob members. Takes $500 into Question 2, where the One gets another four. Is the One's current bank:

a) ($100 x 5) + ($250 x 4) = $1500, or

b) $250 x 9 = $2250?

Hopefully the latter. 'Cuz if it's the former, the only way you can win the full million is if the entire Mob lasts to Question 13 and THEN the One knocks out the whole set. Also, under that second set, is the game over after 13 questions, or does the One get to stick around and keep knocking out players at $10K per as long as they like?

It's A....I asked at Buzzerblog about it, and it's a cumulative total....and I like this change, it's sort of like the formula version the original series overseas uses...

Then claiming a $1,000,000 prize is totally disingenuous. Yeah, it COULD happen, but it never will. The theoretical prize on Weakest Link was just as annoying.

Doesn't answer my second question (whether the game ends regardless after Q13) either. If it does, then that claim goes from disingenuous to flat ridiculous.

I may have forgotten to put that, but if you eliminate all 100, your total is augmented to $1,000,000. It may not be perfect, but it's the best format that I've seen that the US has put together so far, IMO. The game does not end after question 13. It's just a glass ceiling that you cannot get above, money wise per question. I should put those in there, thanks.

But people have beaten the 100 on the original show (and it's the only way to win any money AT ALL there)....and having the money be augmented to $1 million makes for some interesting decisions....Say the One eliminates 10 people on each of the first 9 questions (using the episode 3 scoring system)...

1000+2500+5000+10000+20000+30000+40000+50000+60000= $218,500.

So the One must decide if he's willing to risk 75% of that total (because if he quits during a question, he only gets 25% of it) for the additional $781,500 he'd get for knocking out the remaining 10.

The problem (amongst many) is : let's say you knock out 90 folks by question 6....you've earned 40-50K....but now , you're risking a lot of money for what may be just an additional 7-8K per person remaining.

And the mob, who likely isn't going to ever see a dime, thanks to contestants bailing on such a lopsided money tree, will also never be able to win the big bucks as the 'one'.... they should run a tally with the mob to see who the fastest correct responder is , AND then THAT person gets to advance to the prime position. Otherwise, they're going to need 100 contestants per game, and they're going to have to sell them on the chance to win only a few bucks.

As a guy who got called to fly out on my own dime, be in the mob for one game, and then use up my one game show opportunity for a year in the process: Pass.

You're talking about the augmentation for $1M being in effect for Week 3 and beyond as well as Weeks 1 and 2, yes?

Doug

Yessir. Again, I would much prefer something like a formula, but this is better than "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" x 100, which is what we had not too long ago. I just don't see that big of a flaw with what is here right now. Yeah, you're risking tens of thousands for potentially just 6K or 7K so people would stop, but then you give up your chance at a million by eliminating the rest. Yeah, the odds of eliminating all of them in one swoop like that are tough, but it could potentially happen.

I see. You not only forgot to put that, but you DID put it in the first scale and excluded it from the second, which was the source of my confusion.

That's interesting, then. With that system, it certainly puts the incentive on the player to play on to knock out that last guy, since Mob Member #99 is worth $10,000, but Mob Member #100 will very likely be worth a few hundred thousand more.

Yeah, sorry. It's been a really busy day. My mistake.

Yeah, that's really stupid, I agree. They would do better to do something akin to the Jackpot system of a player who gets a question wrong swapping out with one of the Mob members who was alive at the time of his demise. (I like your idea of taking the live Mob member who answered their questions the fastest.) Or kicking the One out, replacing him with a live Mob member, and then bringing in a new player into the Mob. Of course, that requires the contestant coordinators to do a lot of work, since each member of the Mob has to be vetted as being of sufficient "quality" (in terms of being a good, interesting, attractive contestant) to potentially occupy the seat as the One.

Well, heaven forbid they actually have to work to find capable game players instead of purty people. If the tryout was any indication, we're in for a few million dollar wins because 100 actors/waiters/skylers can't answer a few trivia questions.

Taping Times:

Saturday -- 16 hours for 2 shows
Sunday -- 15 hours for 3 shows



--Mike

I was at the taping on Saturday afternoon, although none of my group got to be taped, as the first taping was painfully slow, due to probable ineptitude of the part of the people making the show. Also, Bob Saget was requiring numerous reshoots, so that the first game took three hours to shoot, and there are supposed to be three games in each show, as I understood. Perhaps they'll get the hang of it after a while, but I was extremely upset when I learned that Bob was going to be the host, as I was led to believe that it would be the guy who hosted at the audition. I was told I could come back on Sunday at 7:45am, and I said no thanks. There's no way I would want to be on a show with Bob Saget - he has one of the worst personalities on TV, and everyone I know finds him incredibly annoying. Oddly enough, a woman from Malibu who was in my mob is a huge Bob Saget fan, but most people who talked with her questioned her sanity.

The last game show taping I went to as a contestant was Hollywood Squares back in 1989 or 1990 (too long ago to remember), and that was much more professionally done. At HS we got to watch closed-circuit TV of the taping of the show while we were waiting backstage, and at 1 vs 100, we were treated like cattle. Here are the rules: However, NO magazines or movies were provided, and the mob members were understandably unhappy.

And you're willing to let that stand between you and a potential hundreds of thousands of dollars in winnings?

That's either exceptionally principled, or exceptionally stupid.

You post on Craigslist, by any chance?